We’re a little closer to settled in. The Spawn is in her room, leeching off my hotspot connection, and Mrs. M is at the Y and the grocery. I’m downstairs in the den, with the Hound of the Basketballs nearby. I’m a little fuzzed out after having spent yesterday evening with a colleague watching basketball, followed by dinner and a set from my friends in Thee Knee Jerks. The ballgame didn’t turn out as I would have preferred, but it was a good evening nonetheless.
It was a day of other satisfactions, as well. An advisee of mine learned yesterday that she has been accepted into a top-10 Masters program in medieval studies. I can only hope that they’ll be wise enough to fund her as well. As you know, I’m reluctant to support anyone’s pursuit of an advanced degree in the humanities these days, but there’s something to be said for someone who is determined enough to take my doomsaying in stride and take the shot anyway. I did, once upon a time, and it worked out pretty well. If I’ve been an influence on all this, I hope it has been a good one. The decision to explore Old Norse is hers, though. Maybe one day she’ll teach me that.
And now that Spring Break has arrived, I’m trying to decide What to Read Next. I finished the Aubrey-Maturin novels last month (and had the satisfaction of seeing it end at a narrative point that worked about as well as any would have, if not a perfect one.) Recommendations are welcome. As ever, I prefer books in which things happen to characters I can give a damn about, but beyond that, I’m pretty open.
I hope your weekend has been pleasant as well.
Don’t know if you want to go to space opera or not, but my two most favorite “character driven” storylines are Lois McMaster Bujold’s “Vorkosigan” series and Sharon Lee and Steve Miller’s “Liaden” universe. Don’t know maybe you’ve read them already, but I like ’em because they’re filled with interesting characters and not bogged down with a lot of technobabble.
Dorothy Dunnett, The Lymond Chronicles.
Robertson Davies? John Crowley? You are probably familiar with these authors. If you ever read sf, how about Ilium & Olympos by Dan Simmons? The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell. I hope you enjoy your new home!
Funny you should mention The Sparrow — Russell is actually our visiting writer this term, and our frosh are reading it.
And thanks for both the suggestion and the wishes!